Vucic: Meeting with Rama was not easy at all

BELGRADE - Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday the one-on-one meeting with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama had lasted longer than planned and had not been easy at all, but that he believed that problems the two sides shared could be solved.

Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade, Vucic thanked Rama for accepting his invitation and visiting Serbia.

"This visit marks a new beginning and I hope the pragmatic relations between Serbia and Albania will be focused on improving not only our mutual political and economic relations, but on making relations across the region better," he stated.

Rama's visit is the first visit by an Albanian official to Serbia in 68 years and that is good news not just for Serbia and Albania, but others as well, he pointed out, stressing that problems could only be solved through dialogue.

The Serbian prime minister said that both in Serbia and Albania today it is much easier to stir chauvinist and nationalist tensions and use harsh words in order to gain political points.

Vucic stressed that he is not elected to make demagogic or popular statements, but to focus on the future and the progress of Serbia, adding that he is proud to see the two countries turn over a new leaf in their relations, and on their joint path towards the EU.

"We have initiated the reforms, but we cannot see them through without a serious policy in the region," Vucic pointed out.

The prime ministers of Serbia and Albania have agreed to work towards an agreement that would allow the citizens of both countries to travel across the state border with only their ID card.

"We want our minorities - the Serb in Albania and the Albanian in Serbia - to build a bridge...